Pak minister says sorry to Inzy

Javed Qazi has expressed regret over his remarks on the English-speaking skills of the captain.

indiaUpdated: Jan 30, 2006 13:12 IST

Asian News International None

Pakistan's Education Minister, Javed Ashraf Qazi, has expressed regret over his humiliating remarks on the English-speaking skills of Pakistan cricket captain Inzamamul Haq, which resulted in a public outcry.

Talking to The News, the former Director General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), admitted that he should not have made those regretful remarks.

"I don't feel any hesitation in admitting that I shouldn't have said this publicly at all about a top class batsman of the cricketing world who is admired the world over. I am also great admirer of Inzamam," the paper quoted Qazi, as saying.

Last month, while addressing a ceremony in Islamabad, the Qazi had attacked the poor quality education in Pakistan.

To establish his point that how such substandard education was affecting the society, Qazi had given the example of Inzamamul Haq who too like millions of Pakistanis cannot speak proper English.

"As a human being, one can always err but important thing is to admit it," Qazi said.

The minister, however, pointed out that poor quality education being imparted to millions of children was still affecting the society.

He added that the country needed to change the whole decadent system so that our children like those of neighbouring country could communicate in English with pride.

"We should introduce a modern education system where not only children of rich people could talk in English with confidence and fluency but children of farmers, labourers and other poor classes of the society getting schooling in government-run schools should communicate with same abilities and competency," he said.